STUCK WITH A CASE:

 Q. Help, everyone’s clammed and I don’t have all my suspects?

     Don’t panic, all is not lost. Try asking the townies what they know about the case, anyone they name will automatically be added to your suspects list (if they’re not already there). Remember, you’ll get the name but not the motive.

    You could put the case in your files and ask another agency member for help. They may have some dirt on your suspects and can lever another question or two out of them. This is by no means guaranteed though.

    If all else fails you should try to solve the case anyway, you may have the guilty party on your suspect list even if it’s not complete.

    The best way is to try and avoid this situation altogether, always ask for motives first when questioning your suspects.

Q. I had PE and no alibi but still falsely accused. How?

     This isn’t possible. Could you have made a mistake? Did your suspect definitely tell you they had no alibi, or did they clam up without giving you their alibi? This is the most common mistake. Did you accuse the wrong person in error? Perhaps the notes you made were inaccurate?

    If you’re absolutely positive you haven’t made an error, the case is bugged and should be reported to Sleuth admin.

Q. I’ve found my killer but not their motive, how can I accuse?

     This often happens when you’ve forgotten to get a motive for your client. It’s not possible to accuse without a motive. Check back and see if you’ve forgotten to ask one of your suspects about motives, you may turn one up. One of your team mates may be able to find a motive if you can’t, put your case in the files and ask for help. This is not guaranteed though so it’s always wise to ensure you get motives right at the start.

GENERAL QUESTIONS:

Q. Can’t find Lucy?

     Lucy’s Cabaret never appears on the map. Move your cursor slowly over the map (in area Larry the Toe advised), when the cursor changes into a hand you’ve found the cabaret. Make sure you visit Lucy’s before starting another case; otherwise the cabaret will have moved.

Q. What does it mean when a townie tells you a suspect doesn’t know anything?

     This means that suspect won’t be able to provide any reliable witness evidence. Conversely, when a townie tells you a suspect does know something, it means they will be able to provide witness evidence (though they may finger the wrong person).

Q. What is witness evidence?

     Witness evidence is when your suspect has reason to suspect another suspect. Three of your suspects will provide witness evidence (WE) in every case. Two of them will name your killer, but one will name a suspect who has a real alibi.

Q. What’s the bank vault for?

     The bank vault is where the treasure is kept during a key hunt. Only those with the safe cracking skill can get in here and if you’re not in an agency you’ll never need it.

Q. I can’t afford to pay Shady, help.

     Don’t panic. Play easy cases and your favours until you have enough to pay Shady. Playing easy cases allows you to build up some cash without increasing your experience too much. The higher your experience, the more Shady charges. Remember to be bery careful when accusing, always ensure you have one of the three golden rules to avoid retirement.

    If you’re in an agency check the agency policies, they may be able to help.

Q. Do the cut scenes affect my case?

     The only cut scenes which affect your case are the ones which affect your faction standing. The others are just to add some flavour and mean nothing, they do not give clues as to the killer.

HOW TO FIND YOUR KILLER:

Q. What are the 3 Golden  Rules?

     These are the only failsafe ways of knowing when you’ve found your killer.

If you

A)    Match a piece of physical evidence to a suspect with a fake (or a stated “no alibi”).

or

B)     Find 1 witness evidence against a suspect with a fake (or a stated “no alibi”).

or

C)    Find 2 pieces of witness evidence against the same suspect.

then you’ve definitely found your killer and can safely accuse.

   Witness evidence is found by asking your suspects if they have heard or seen anything to make them suspect somebody.

    Physical evidence is found by searching the crime scene.

    A fake alibi is when your suspect names an alibi but the alibi tells you they weren’t there. A stated “no alibi” is when your suspect tells you they haven’t got an alibi. Please remember these are not the same as an alibi that cannot be checked because the suspect or the townie has clammed up.

Q. I have a gut feeling I know who the killer is, but no evidence, should I accuse?

     No! If you do you run the risk of a false accusation. Remember that Shady’s prices keep on rising and it get’s very expensive indeed to pay him off. Far better to quit a case than falsely accuse.

    In our experience gut feelings are usually wrong, never rely on these.